James Dorlin and Daniel Rowbottom are targeting championship bids in the 2018 Renault UK Clio Cup as they return to the series with Westbourne Motorsport and Team Pyro respectively.
2016 Michelin Clio Cup Series champion Dorlin was a revelation during his first year on the BTCC support package, immediately challenging at the front.
Dorlin would win only his sixth ever Clio Cup race as part of a double podium finish at Thruxton, and went on to add a superb second victory in the wet at Silverstone.
The eighteen year old is confident of a title challenge this year: “2017 was a massive learning curve but we still exceeded our expectations with the two wins.
“Westbourne and myself now want to put everything we learnt together last year to very good use this season. There’s a lot of focus and energy going into making sure everything is as good as it can be.
“There’s no hiding in the Clio Cup – the cars are very evenly matched and with so many good drivers at the limit with the cars it’s all about finding that extra little bit.
“There will be a lot riding on the first two races at Brands Hatch – nobody will want to leave there playing catch-up.”
Rowbottom meanwhile has moved to reigning champions Pyro following an impressive campaign in 2017, finishing in the championship top five in his first full season with his own team.
With backing from Cataclean, Rowbottom secured no less than five third-place finishes and led races on two occasions, and is going for more this season.
“Pyro have won five of the last six drivers’ titles and I’m joining them with only one thing in mind – becoming Champion,” he commented.
“The UK Clio Cup stands out by far as the most professional and competitive single-make saloon car category in Europe and any driver doing well in it is going to be seen as hot property by the top touring car teams.
“Last year I was in a small family-run team and we ended up not a million miles off taking second in the standings. Mike Bushell was the runaway winner for Pyro and I believe I can replace him as Pyro’s top driver.”
